In one of the great tragedies of church history, one of the most ancient Christian communities is being destroyed before our very eyes. The Assyrian, Chaldean, and Orthodox churches of Mesopotamia appear headed for a bloody end. As recently as 1970, Christians made up 5-6 percent of Iraq’s population; today, they are less [...]

The Supreme Court of India has told the Orissa state government that, if it cannot protect Christians from mob violence, then it should resign.
The Supreme Court today said it would not allow “persecution” of minorities and asked the Orissa government to resign if it was unable to protect Christians who were targeted in recent riots [...]

In a decision with far-reaching implications, a Swedish court has approved an application for asylum made by an Iraqi Christian family, despite an agreement signed by Sweden and Iraq designed to obviate such applications.
In early 2008, Sweden and Iraq signed an agreement under which the Iraqi government pledged to protect religious minorities and returning refugees [...]

In a rare legal victory, a Pakistani court has ordered police to rescue a Christian teenage girl held against her will by a Muslim woman.  Police even carried out the order.
Police carried the order out on December 13th, successfully returning Nousheen Bibi to her parents after three months as a hostage to her former employer, [...]

An unnamed Anglican priest in the Solomon Islands was reportedly attacked and injured by a local Muslim on 16 December.  The suspect is still at large. Police say the attack was motivated by “religious differences”.
Solomon Star reports that Malaita’s Provincial Police Commander David Diosi confirms police is searching for the suspect Jack Rade - leader [...]

David and Fiona Fulton have each been sentenced to a year’s hard labour by a court in The Gambia, West Africa. The Fultons, who have three children including a two-year-old adopted daughter, were charged with sedition over e-mail correspondence in which they criticised President Yahya Jammeh and the influence of Islam in the tiny [...]

During the recent wave of mass arrests of Christians, Eritrean authorities took into custody Dr Michael Mehari, who is said to be one of the country’s leading paediatricians.  Apparently, providing medical care to infants and children in one of Africa’s poorest countries does not excuse the crime of publicly worshipping Christ.
Among those arrested, over the [...]

Matthew Parris, convinced atheist and columnist for The Times of London, recently visited his boyhood home of Malawi (formerly Nyasaland) and found himself confronted by a conviction that he’s been trying to avoid for most of his life: It would be good for Africa if more Africans believed in God. Africa needs God, [...]

Christians and followers of other religions in Kazakhstan and Tajikistan (see map below) could be forced to close places of worship under new laws that severely restrict religious activities. The laws have not yet been given final approval, but this seems likely in both countries.
Religious leaders and human rights groups are criticising Kazakhstan’s restrictive [...]

China launched a widespread crackdown on Christians during the Christmas season.  Public Security Bureau (PSB) agents raided a house church on Christmas Eve and took nine women into custody.
They, “were reenacting the nativity [scene] on the street, and police charged the women with “organizing illegal religious activities. ” The women, including Yue Zengyun who led [...]

A Church of England bishop has sharply criticised the United States and Great Britain over brutal persecution of Christians in Iraq. The Rt Rev Graham James says the two countries’ invasion of Iraq has contributed to the obliteration of one of the world’s oldest Christian communities.
Despite having very strong Christian traditions, the US and [...]

Eritrean authorities have taken into custody over 100 Christians during the past month in a nation-wide campaign of house-by-house arrests. Detainees are being brutally abused and some may have died as a result.
The report originated with Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) and was picked up by BosNewsLife.
Several churches in Eritrea were without their leaders or [...]

Earlier this week, Assyrian International News Agency reported that 22-year-old Martha Samuel was arrested at Cairo Airport as she was about to board a flight to Russia with her husband and two young sons. All four family members were taken into custody.
Today arrives this very disturbing report regarding her and her family.
Martha Samuel, an [...]

Ten days ago, a Muslim mob burned two churches and dozens of houses and businesses in Letwaru village, Central Maluku, Indonesia, following vague allegations that a Christian teacher had insulted Islam. Government officials have now promised to re-build the burned buildings before Christmas.
The promises came after hundreds of activists from a local youth organization [...]

Plainclothes police last week entered and ransacked several Christian homes in the “Maryam Town” slum of Sargodha, Pakistan’s 10th-largest city. During the raid, they assaulted residents, leaving some “critically injured”, vandalised property, and stole cash and household goods.
Police, arriving in two vehicles, allegedly made their way into at least two Christian homes on December [...]